How is Multiple Sclerosis Detected?

Multiple Sclerosis Detection Guide

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological disorder affecting almost 1.89 million people worldwide. It is an autoimmune condition that damages the protective cover (myelin) in the central nervous system, affecting the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis that can lead to early diagnosis are weakness, numbness, improper vision, and difficulty with coordination. Diagnostic testing, medical history assessment, and clinical examination can help diagnose multiple sclerosis early, improving treatment outcomes.

Read further to learn about the diagnostic tools for multiple sclerosis!  

How to Diagnose Multiple Sclerosis?

The diagnostic tools used by healthcare professionals to detect multiple sclerosis are as follows:

1. Blood Tests

A blood test is a differential diagnostic procedure for multiple sclerosis. Although no specific blood tests are dedicated to multiple sclerosis, a blood test can provide supportive evidence in the diagnosis and rule out conditions similar to this medical condition.

2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRIs are essential for MS diagnosis because they can identify specific multiple sclerosis lesions (inflammation and damage areas) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

It can also monitor the spread and progression of multiple sclerosis over different regions in the central nervous system. Clinical assessment and MRIs are the gold standard for diagnosing this neurological disorder.

3. Spinal Tap

A spinal tap, or lumbar puncture, is a diagnostic tool that analyzes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to track inflammation and immune system response to multiple sclerosis. The CSF can reveal the presence of specific proteins, like oligoclonal bands, that detect inflammation.

However, a spinal tap is not always definitive of multiple sclerosis. So, it must be analyzed together with other diagnostic tools like MRI to confirm the presence of inflammation. A developing antibody test is a quicker and less expensive alternative to traditional spinal tap tests.

4. Evoked Potential Tests

There are different types of evoked potential tests that quantify the electrical impulses of the central nervous system to diagnose multiple sclerosis:

1. Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs)  : These tests analyze the visual pathway to measure the brain’s electrical response to visual stimuli.
2.  Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BAERs) : BAERs assess the auditory pathway to measure the brain’s electrical response to sound stimuli.
3. Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEPs) : These tests analyze the sensory pathway to measure the brain’s electrical response to mild electrical stimulation.  

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